Chapter 3

Janice's face instantly drained of color.

She almost instinctively dropped to her knees, pleading in a pitiful voice, "I'm sorry, Lisa, I really forgot! Please don't be mad, okay? I can choose another flavor instead."

Her act of looking pitiful was so practiced that it felt absurd.

The first time I made a peanut butter cake, I truly hadn't known she was allergic.

Back then, she casually mentioned that she wanted to try a peanut butter cream flavored cake. Wanting to please her, I experimented repeatedly, enduring burns to produce a decent cake.

In the end, she went into anaphylactic shock and nearly ended up in the ER.

But the moment I woke up, she threw herself into Jasper's arms, crying and saying, "Jasper, Lisa made it out of the kindness of her heart. She said one small bite wouldn't hurt. It's my fault for being greedy, so don't blame her…"

All I could do was stand beside the hospital bed, under the accusing gazes of Jasper and Casey, quietly trying to explain, "I didn't know she was allergic. She never told me…"

Jasper gave me a hard kick to the stomach. "Stop making excuses. You're just jealous that both Casey and I dote on her!"

That kick sent me crashing into the corner of the wall. I collapsed, unable to move from the pain.

Then, I was locked in my room for three whole days.

I didn't get any food or water, and wasn't even allowed to open the door.

By the time they let me out, I was nearly unconscious.

Thinking of those days, I said coldly, "I can't make the flavor you want. Go buy one yourself."

But Janice still wouldn't give up. She clung to me and said sweetly, "Alright, I don't need any cake. Please don't be mad, Lisa."

Yet in her eyes, I caught a flash of venom, and her grip on my arm tightened until it hurt. I yanked myself free with force, and she collapsed on the floor in a dramatic fall.

The room instantly fell silent.

Casey rushed over and helped her up, gently examining her elbow.

Jasper lifted her sleeve to check the scrape. After gently rubbing it, he turned to me and roared, "Lisa Carter, are you insane?"

Then came a loud, stinging slap across my face. "You've really crossed the line! Don't expect to eat tonight. Get back to your room and reflect on yourself!"

He had used all his strength in that slap. I even felt my molars loosen.

Casey saw the blood coming out of the corner of my mouth, and for a second, his expression turned conflicted.

I silently wiped away the blood and returned to my room.

It wasn't to reflect, but to retrieve the suitcase I had packed up early on.

When I stepped out into the living room with my luggage, the room went quiet. Then came their mocking sneers. "So you've learned to run away from home now? Lisa, you're an adult. How are you still so immature? If you walk out that door today, don't bother coming back."

I was already numb to threats like that.

This house had never been mine anyway.

I didn't look back as I walked straight toward the door.

Enraged, Jasper grabbed a vase from the table and hurled it at me.

It shattered at my feet, and the shards sliced into my ankle.

Jasper shouted, "Fine! Get lost! Don't even think of crawling back here in the future!"